Retort for the distillation of coal and similar carbonaceous substances



Oct. 16, 1928.

c. H. PARK-ER RETORT FOR THE DISTILLATION OF COAL AND SIMILAR CARBONACEOUS SUBSTANCES Fild Jan. 27, 1928 Ifiventor 6'. 1!.Par/cer r by a), 5 W! flitorney.

Patented Oct. 16, i I

UNITED STATES .nnronr non THE DISTILLATION or 00.51. AND SIMILAR GARBONACEOUS SUBSTANCES.

j 1,687,989 PATENT OFFICE.

v CHARLESHENRY PARKER, OF CODSALL, ENGLAND.

Application filed January 27, 1928, Serial No. 249,963, and in Great Britain September 25, 1926.-

. This invention relates to apparatus for the distillation of coal. and'similar carbonaceous substances.

The invention relates to that type ofvertical retort in which .a number of retort cavities or chambersare formed in a single casting, and the invention hasamong its objects to provide aretort of such formin which the area of the external walls to which heat high volatile content.

-. means angular vertical cavities are ormed is applied is extensive, and so that while the retort cavities or chambers are formed'in one casting, heat is applied ,to the charges from each side of the retort cavities or chambers formed therein, so that by such means the transmission of heat is rapidly effected from the opposite sidesand ends to the centre part of the charge.

The invention is especially applicable in the distillation of coal at low and medium tern eratures and for the production of a smo eless fuel having a high or moderately According to the invention the transverse section ofthe retort cavities or chambers is retort cavities or chambers are of identical size and form and are slightly enlarged in dimensions towards their lower ends. The respective retort cavities or chambers are disposed in line .and in parallel relation, but their verticalend or sidewalls are not in alignment. Each individual retort is connected to its neighbour by a part of one of its lateral walls. Thus a partof each lateral wall is common to adj acent retorts, that is to say each of the individual retorts has one of its end walls in advance of the end wall of the retort to the rear of it, so that b such by the external faces of the adjacent ends and part of the side walls of the retorts. It will thus be understood that the right hand side Wall of one retort protrudes forward so that this extension may complete the left hand.

side wall of the next retort, the right hand side wall. of which is'similarly. extended to form the left hand Wall of the next retort on the other side. .Thus on the opposite sides of the casting a series of vertically disposed angular recesses are formed by the respective end walls of each of the retorts and b part of the adjacent side walls thereof an thus the respective retorts are connected together in opposite positions merely by 2'. art of the 'side wall which is common to a jacent retorts. By such means it will be understood substantially rectangular or oblongand' the that heat may be directly applied to each of a into. which the gases and vapours produced in the distillation may pass and issue through an outlet in the upper part of the hood fitting, and the hood fitting may be provided with a cover plate or closure which may be removed to permit of the funnel of the charging. hopper passing into the mouth of the hood so as to permit of the coal or other carbonaceous substances falling into the respective retorts .or retort cavities. At the lower end of the metal casting a common cover or bottom plate may be applied or any other means provided to close the lower .ends of the retorts or retort cavities. WVhere such a cover plate is provided this may conveniently be hinged so that on being released at one side it may fall down to permit of the charge being released from the retorts.

Asa practical example the retorts or retort cavities in cross-sectionmay be provided of the dimensions 4 by 11 inches at the top and 5% by'12 inches at the bottom, the retort cavitiesbeing of'a length of nine feet. It is preferred to provide the width'of that part of the said wall which is common to adjacent retorts about one half the total width of the side wall.

' It ,will be understood that the invention is not limited to the manner in which such a metal casting. may be used and mounted within a setting, nor yet to the manner in which the heat may be applied to the retort,

I nor yet is it limited to the dimensionsabove indicated. It is preferred that the 'cross section of the. retorts may be substantially rectangular or oblong, but here again no limitation is involved to su ch a cross-section. The accompanying drawings illustrate a construction of retort casting in accordance with the inventiombyway of example.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, of the casting.

Figure 2 is a plan view of theupper endi- Figure 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line AA of Figure l.

Referring to the drawings, the retort cast ing illustrated'comprises a block of four retorts, each retort cavity a being of oblong the major axis of the transverse section of the casting, and thus, while they are disposed in parallel relation, the adjacent retorts have their adjacent lateral walls common only to the extent of half the width, as at a and external-angular cavities a are formed by the external faces of the adjacent ends and part of the side walls of adjacent retorts. By such a disposition of .the retort cavities the respective retorts are provided with ample heating sufaces for their effective operation.

' The retort cavities a increase in dimensions towards the lower ends and thus the cross section of the casing is also increased in area so that the lower flange plate 0 is of correspondingly larger dimensions than the up memes per flange plate Strengthening webs b 0 are provided be ween the respective flange plates 6, 0 and the exterior lateral walls of the outer retorts llhe upper flange plate I) is advantageously slotted, as at 6?, for the reception of'bolts by which a suitable hood fitting may be secured in. position thereon. The lower flange plate 0 may be similarly provided for the reception of the mounting for the bottom cover plate.

ll claim I A battery of vertical retorts for the dis tillat ion of coal and similar carbonaceous material, comprising a unitary casting having a single row of retort chambers therein, each of said chambers being of oblong cross section and increasing in dimension from the upper end to the lower end thereof, the major axis of each chamber being disposed at'an angle of substantially 45 degrees to the center line of the battery casting as a whole, whereby substantially'one-half of the wall of each intermediate chamber is an outer wall of the casting, said casting having reinforcing means integral with the fiat portion of the'outer walls-of: the end chambers.

' CHARLES HENRY PARKER. 

